North Texas Daily

With the lowest scoring output for this season, the North Texas Mean Green men’s basketball team (17-3, 5-2 Conference USA) was defeated at home for the first time in 14 games by the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (13-7, 5-2 C-USA) on Thursday night by a score of 52-49.

The Blazers hit a pair of 3-pointers to give them a six-point lead with 24 seconds left in regulation.

“We’ve come up with so many key stops over the course of the year and today we didn’t,” head coach Grant McCasland said.

Redshirt freshman guard Umoja Gibson hit a 3-pointer and North Texas retrieved the ball back down by three. However, Gibson’s last second 3-point shot attempt fell flat.

“We had some good stretches,” senior guard Michael Miller said. “They just wanted it more than us.”

Both teams shot below 35 percent, the Mean Green shot 31 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from deep, while the Blazers shot 34 percent from the floor and 26.1 percent from deep.

“We took a lot of threes and they didn’t go in,” redshirt junior guard Dj Draper said. “That was a big part we need to improve on.”

In a game without senior guard Jorden Duffy, North Texas had three team members who scored in double digits — Gibson, leading the Mean Green with 15 points, senior guard Michael Miller with 11 and junior guard Roosevelt Smart with 10.

Compared to the Blazer’s 15-free throw attempts, Draper said the Mean Green struggled to attack the basket and get to the line.

“We did a poor job I think,” Draper said. “We only got to the line six times. Our energy was lacking some explosiveness.”

McCasland said that North Texas struggled in the rebound battle against the Blazers.

“They were the more physical team,” McCasland said. “Out-rebounded us, second half they got 10.”

This is the second conference loss for the Mean Green in C-USA, they held first place prior to the game.

Up next, North Texas will host Middle Tennesse (5-12, 2-5 C-USA) on Saturday, Jan. 26. A win will put the Mean Green back into first place in C-USA.

Featured Image: Mean Green junior guard Roosevelt Smart hits a 3-pointer over a Blazer defender. The Mean Green lost to UAB 52-46. Image by Trevon McWilliams.